“I am proud to stand alongside Sean Penn, a man cut from a very rare cloth," said the host for the evening Giorgio Armani. "He first captivated me as an astonishing actor. Then as a respected director. Then as a loyal friend. And now, as a life changer. It is an honor to be a part of Sean’s remarkable life of service by joining his humanitarian efforts for the people of Haiti. For this to come to fruition at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival marks a career milestone for me, and demonstrates what happens when you work with Sean, a world-class force of nature."

A fund-raising dinner (likely featuring plenty of A-list celebs) will be held on May 18. It will feature RaRa and Racine music, created with the RAM band, Haiti’s leading Racine group.

Penn, who late last month was honoredat the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates for his humanitarian work in Haiti, says the fate of the country still very much remains in the balance.

"We have four years to solidify the seeding of institutions that can create sustainable democratic solutions. Four years that without a reinvigorated surge of support will leave the people's will up for grabs," he said.

"It's quite a task, but a doable one with investments in agriculture, education, health care, housing, clean water and recognizing it's a country of 9 million people — but it's also only 9 million people."